This month the Regional Transportation District (RTD) in Denver, Colo., is marking 10 years of light-rail service on the Central Platte Valley (CPV) C Line. Since RTD opened the 1.8-mile line April, 5, 2002, the line has carried more than 17 million passenger trips. Now a decade later, RTD and its community partners are marking the 10th Anniversary.

Upon its opening a decade ago, the CPV Light Rail C Line made Denver the first city in the nation with one light-rail line serving all the major professional sports venues. The CPV Light Rail Line C spur includes the 10th/Osage Station, Auraria West Campus Station, Sports Authority Field at Mile High Station, Pepsi Center/Elitch Gardens Station and Denver Union Station.

The Central Platte Valley extension was the first example of a private-public partnership used by RTD to build a rail line. The implementation of the CPV C Line was made possible through the collaboration of Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG), City and County of Denver, RTD and Private stakeholders (Broncos, Rockies, Six Flags/Elitch Gardens, Lower Downtown, Auraria, Pepsi Center, and Trillium). The CPV extension also necessitated an expansion of the 16th Street Mall Shuttle service from Market Street Station to Denver Union Station to allow transfers between the light-rail line and the shuttle.

The CPV extension was the third consecutive light-rail project RTD completed on time and within budget.

In November of 2006, the CPV extension welcomed the E line, which was part of the opening of the Southeast Rail Line.